PROMPTINGS: HOLD FAST

There’s a crusty old sailor in the movie Master and Commander who has tattooed on the fingers of each hand the words “H-O-L-D F-A-S-T.” Probably a good reminder for someone engaged in the kind of work where it would be easy to become discouraged and despair of hope particularly in the face of storms, intense labor, and menacing enemies – all of which could take life or limb.

“Hold Fast” is very close to the biblical word used over and over in scripture “steadfast.” Scripture informs us that God is “steadfast” in his love for his people even when God’s people wander and complain and even worship other idols. To be sure, God isn’t pleased with people who ignore the good common sense to follow Him, but even in his displeasure his love remains, well, steadfast.

But that’s God. What about us? What do we do when our expectations of life or relationships don’t turn out the way we want them to. Does our love remain steadfast? Do we “H-O-L-D F-A-S-T?”

Serving as a church pastor I have a front row seat where I get to observe people’s attitudes and behaviors about God. And people are funny. Some people when life gets hard turn to God for guidance and help. Their prayer life deepens, they spend more time in the word, they look to other believers for support and encouragement. This is good. God desires that we depend on him “in season and out of season.” But then something happens. For some, they continue in this pattern of faithfulness as long as their expectations for healing and love are being met. When they aren’t met they become despondent and disillusioned with God, with the church, with the pastor, with the church leaders – because what they were looking for was for God to follow through on THEIR agenda.

In our best moments we can all agree that this isn’t how God works. In fact, if your experience is anything like mine, you’ve discovered that God rather enjoys to disrupt OUR agenda. What God likes to do is to replace my expectations for the good life, the happy life, the fulfilled life with transformed values – God wants us to see the world from the perspective of HIS sovereignty!

That’s where steadfastness comes in. The walk of faith is frustrating to be sure. At times, it may seem like you’re the only one who is having to suffer through difficult times in order to remain faithful, to have integrity, or to practice life-giving compassion. But like the crusty old sailor in Master and Commander we H-O-L-D F-A-S-T. With holding fast comes increased discipline as well as a deeper appreciation for what God is working in your life at this moment. It’s when we force our own agenda through that we experience hair-pulling frustration and stress when things don’t go our way. Steadfastness prepares us for those difficult times that we know are just down the road but that we also know we will weather through because we have been and are being faithful to God.

So H-O-L-D F-A-S-T – be steadfast in those spiritual disciplines who have chosen to practice this year. Better yet, listen for God in prayer as you discern how you might best do the mission you were created to do. And as God is steadfast in his love for you, be steadfast in your attentiveness to that relationship you have with Him and with his followers and be ready to experience the abundant blessing God has in store for you in 2006 – blessings that will always come on God’s terms rather than our terms. Let our prayer be the prayer of the Psalmist who sang, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)